All the rumors are true! Celebrities are just like us. Yes, they may have a lot more money, cars, possessions, and accolades, but they also hold values and concerns like the rest of us. They are also proud to be Americans, despite whether or not they were born here. America is the land of the free and these celebs have proven they are here to stay. From your favorite actors to the top reigning queens of music, these celebrities are an inspiring reminder that America is the place to be.
Olivia Munn Loves the American People
Olivia Munn was born in 1980 in Oklahoma City, OK and has been a staple in various films and television series since 2004, most notably her stint on The Newsroom from 2012-2014, and the film X-Men: Apocalypse.
Munn finds the American people quite fascinating, stating, “I think what is really inspiring is the people. There is a lot going on in this world, lots of tragedy, a lot of violence, but there is also a lot of hope, because we are able to see that when times get really low …that we grow with love and we don’t shrink from hate.”
Maren Morris Recognizes the Power of the Next Generation
Country star Maren Morris was born in Arlington, TX in 1990. You probably know her best from her recent pop/EDM collaboration with Zedd and Grey, “The Middle.” Morris has released four studio albums and there’s no stopping this girl. She recently married fellow country star, Ryan Hurd, this year in Nashville.
The thing she loves most about this country is how politically active this generation is becoming. “I think that people are becoming more awake in this political climate. And even though that’s scary in a lot of ways, it’s woken me up for sure. It’s kind of crazy because our country is so young, and you’re so proud of it and you’re trying to make it a better place and watch it grow, almost like a child, and that’s a cool thing about our generation, is that we’re watching things change before our eyes, and want to see it change for the better. It’s exciting.”
Trevor Noah Dreamed of Living in the U.S.
Comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host Trevor Noah hails from Johannesburg, South Africa but now calls Los Angeles, California home and says he always dreamed of living in America. Born in 1984, Noah has become one of the top voices of this generation on all things political as the host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central.
“The reason I love America is because it’s the place I dreamed about, it’s the place I saw on TV, it’s the place of the movies. It’s a place that I have come to learn aspires to be greater than it is. It’s a place that is an idea, it is a place that is greater than itself, it is greater than the sum of its parts. The reason I love America is because I think America always tries to head in the right direction and it knows when it isn’t.”
Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria was born in 1975 in Corpus Christi, TX. She's most known for her stint on ABC’s Desperate Housewives from 2004-2012. Longoria has paved the way for many soap stars to branch out, start producing and get involved with volunteer work. Appearing in many advertising campaigns, Longoria has become a face we all know and love.
“The greatest thing about American politics right now is everybody is paying attention. I think before we had a lot of apathy, like, ‘Oh, I don’t even know who the vice president is.’ People know now that, ‘Oh my gosh, I have to be involved because my voice counts.’ That’s always been the greatest thing about American politics and American government: the citizen having the most power in the civic process.”
Diane Kruger Never Feels Like a Stranger in the U.S.
Diane Kruger was born in Germany in 1976 but became an American citizen in 2013. Known for her epic roles in Troy, National Treasure, and Inglourious Basterds, Kruger never fails to inspire women everywhere to do what people say cannot be done.
“I really appreciate the openness of Americans, I appreciate their welcomeness. I’ve never felt like a stranger in America. I feel like they’re very open, helpful. I’ve traveled across the country and I’ve never really met anyone who wasn’t accommodating or helpful.”
Bobby Flay is Here For the Food
Chef and TV personality Bobby Flay was born in New York City. As an owner and executive chef of many restaurants around the country, Flay has been the face of Food Network programs while continuing to inspire young chefs and all-around foodies to explore new options and take risks.
Food obviously plays a major role in Flay’s life, so it was no secret that it's one of the main reasons why he loves America so much. “I love the food of America. When I look at the map of America I don’t see towns and cities, I see ingredients in those particular places. I’m proud to be an American chef because the food in this country has been so underrated for so long and we’ve basically caught up if not surpassed the rest of the world.”
Demi Lovato Is Loud and Proud to be American
Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Demi Lovato was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and calls both Texas and Los Angeles home. As one of the top-selling inspiring female voices of the past decade, Lovato first tugged on our heartstrings in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Camp Rock in 2008. She's since achieved superstardom with a massive solo career.
It’s quite obvious Lovato is proud of her roots. Her song, “Made In The USA,” is an anthem for Americans of every race and gender to love each other as one while coming together in times of hardship, which will no doubt be an American classic for years to come.
Miley Cyrus Wants Everyone to Come Together
Born in 1992 in Franklin, Tennesse, Miley Cyrus is pretty much known as the “Party In The USA” girl. Obviously, there’s so much more to Cyrus as she’s proven her talent time and time again in recent years. After Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana, Cyrus went through a rough time concerning her image. But fans knew exactly what she was doing, loving her all the more for it.
After the results of the 2016 election, Cyrus stated she was leaving America. She later backtracked, explaining that this is the time to come together. Before she performed at a concert in Vegas, she stated, “I’m doing this concert this week in Vegas and for ‘Party In The USA’ the screens will say ‘education’ and ‘healthcare’ and ‘equality’, ‘justice’, ‘freedom’, ‘liberation’, ‘expression’. These things are what make up our country. It’s not a party in the USA if it’s filled with hate, discrimination, walls, violence, all these things.”
Milo Ventimiglia
Milo Ventimiglia was born in Anaheim, California. These days, it is nearly impossible to even look at him without sobbing uncontrollably over his tragic death as Jack Pearson in NBC’s This Is Us. The actor is also known for his roles in Gilmore Girls, and Heroes. Ventimiglia has become a powerful force within the industry with roles never lacking in depth or charisma.
What the actor loves most about his country is coming home. “It’s home. Every time I travel internationally, the moment that I get back to the U.S. and a U.S. customs agent looks at my passport, hands it back and says, ‘Welcome home,’ it fills me with joy and pride and honor to be raised in our country.”
Keri Russell Embraces Freedom of Speech
Keri Russell has been America’s sweetheart since we first laid eyes on her in 1998’s Felicity. Born in 1976 in Fountain Valley, California, Russell got her start on The Mickey Mouse Club in 1991 alongside Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, JC Chasez, Tony Lucca, and Ryan Gosling.
While Russell travels a lot, she says there’s nothing like landing on home soil. “As much as we travel, and we go to these beautiful places, I do love landing back at JFK Airport and hearing the loud, vivacious voices saying what they want. It’s not always polite, but it still feels good. I love it.”
Common Appreciates America's Diversity
Rapper Common has become an inspiring voice of reason and honor for young generations. Born in Chicago, Common made his debut in 1992 and maintained a solid underground following throughout the 1990s, later leading him to notable mainstream success.
Common has shared that his favorite aspect of America is its diversity. “I love the diversity in America. I love how multicultural it really is … it’s really unique in a way that there are the people that come here, the people that are from here — it’s unique perspectives. It’s really like, fresh perspectives and that’s why we have influence on the world.”
Julianne Moore: "There’s a place for everybody"
It’s hard to look at Julianne Moore and not automatically think of the word ‘icon.’ Born in North Carolina, Moore has starred in a number of beloved films such as Jurassic Park, Nine Months, Crazy, Stupid, Love, The Big Lebowski, Hannibal, The Kids Are All Right, The Hunger Games, and more. She even has written a series of children’s books titled Freckleface Strawberry.
Moore loves America for its freedom and its openness. “The thing that I love most about America is that there’s a place for everybody. It is a country that has traditionally welcomed everybody and where everyone feels safe.”
Katie Couric Embraces the Diversity in NYC
Born in Arlington, Virginia, Katie Couric is a renown journalist. Starting her career in 1979, Couric went on to work for ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and later back to ABC. With a long list of charitable work and acting on the side, Couric is a household name in the US.
Like many, Couric loves this country for its diversity and willingness to welcome people of other cultures. “I love the diversity. I love living in New York City and having this massive melting pot where I meet people from all different countries and cultures and that we all peacefully coexist and respect each other. I think so many communities across the country are like that. I love that I live in a pluralistic society that welcomes people and appreciates our differences.”
Gayle King Calls USA "Heaven"
Gayle King is a force to be reckoned with. A co-anchor of the CBS morning show, CBS This Morning, King is also known as Oprah Winfrey’s best friend and is the editor for O, The Oprah Magazine.
King’s favorite aspect of America is the many different vibes each state gives off. “I love in this country you can go to many different places and get many different feels. In terms of geography, in terms of people, in terms of attitude. You know I think it sends a message that everyone is welcome. Nothing makes you appreciate America more than when you go and travel. As wonderful as it is to go to Italy, to go to France, to go to Africa, you come back home to the U.S.A. and this is really heaven.”
Margaret Cho Likes That She Can Say What She Wants
Who hasn’t fallen in love with the humor of Margaret Cho? Born in San Francisco, Cho has many impressive titles to her name. She’s a stand-up comedian, actress, author, fashion designer, and singer-songwriter. Cho supports LGBTQ rights and has won various awards for her humanitarian efforts on behalf of Asian Americans, women, and the LGBTQ community.
Cho loves that America is free-spirited, stating, “I love the incredible spirit. I love the way that we’re encouraged and able to really express ourselves in so many ways and now with social media, of course, it’s just boundless the ways that we can talk, and talk to each other and talk about each other.”
Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel has become an American hero for many. He has taken on the government while fighting for the issues that really matter. Born in Brooklyn, Kimmel is best known for his flawless comedic genius on his late night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live. Kimmel uses his platform not only for laughs, but for a good cause, recently taking on Washington on healthcare issues, immigration, and gun control in recent months.
It's people like Kimmel who not only inspire us to be better Americans but to others who may be watching internationally, to do better and rise above injustice.
Camila Cabello Says The American Dream Is Worth Fighting For
Camila Cabello rose to fame in pop girl group, Fifth Harmony, but her solo career is where it’s at. Born in 1997 in Havana, Cuba, Cabello has called Miami home and has become one of pop’s reigning female artists with her single, “Havana” topping the charts in several countries.
During the 2018 GRAMMYs, Cabello gave a moving speech supporting immigrants and dreamers everywhere to follow their dreams. “…just like the Dreamers, my parents brought me to this country with nothing in their pockets but hope. They showed me what it means to work twice as hard and never give up. And honestly, no part of my journey is any different from theirs. I’m a proud, Cuban-Mexican immigrant, born in eastern Havana, standing in front of you on the Grammy stage in New York City. And all I know is that just like dreams, these kids can’t be forgotten and are worth fighting for.”
Michelle Obama Spreads the American Spirit Around the World
It’s no secret that Michelle Obama loves this country. Born in Chicago, Michelle stole our hearts as the First Lady of the United States from 2009-2017. She has become a role model for women everywhere as she advocates for poverty awareness, education, nutrition, physical activity, and has become a fashion icon in her own right over the years.
Michelle wants all Americans to represent this country with grace, stating, “The fact is, with every friendship you make, and every bond of trust you establish, you are shaping the image of America projected to the rest of the world. That is so important. So when you study abroad, you're actually helping to make America stronger."
Carson Daly's a Proud American
Born in 1973 in Santa Monica, California, Carson Daly is one of the most beloved TV personalities of a generation. After defining pop culture on MTV’s TRL in 1998, Daly went on to host his own late-night TV show, Last Call with Carson Daly. Along with some stints on radio, Daly is now the host of The Voice and you can find him as a co-anchor on the Today show on NBC.
Carson has never shied away from his American pride. After the tragic events of 9/11, Daly got an NYC tattoo in honor of the strength and resilience of the city and the country on that day. Every Memorial Day, Daly tweets his thoughts for those who bravely served and continue to serve.
Mark Wahlberg
Born in 1971 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, Mark Wahlberg has many titles. From actor to former rapper-model, to producer and businessman, Wahlberg has become a beloved face of our country. Known for his acting work in The Italian Job, Planet of the Apes, The Departed, along with Entourage, Boardwalk Empire, and Ted, Wahlberg continues to prove his talent.
It’s obvious that Wahlberg is a family man, but what he truly loves about America is the ability to grow your roots. “It’s the land of opportunity … [you can] come here and build a business, bring your family, be successful, turn your life around literally in one generation.”
